BRUBECK / SMITH Near-Myth (Scarce 1961 UK 10-track LP which sees Dave Brubeck performing with clarinettist & composer Bill Smith, along with his regular rhythm section of Joe Morello & Gene Wright, together tackling a superb loosely Greco-Roman themed piece split into ten distinct movements. The whole album was recorded on March 20th 1961 in one continuous session & sees several unusual approaches to the instruments including piano strings played by Tympani sticks & overblown Clarinetto produce double & even triple stops within the chord progressions. The flimsy fully laminated flipback picture sleeve shows just some light shelfwear with a little light creasing & some edge scuffing - fairly inevitable for a sleeve of this type - but nothing significant. The wonderful sleeve illustration is still bright & vivid. The vinyl is still, incredibly, immaculate - a wonderful copy! LAE565)